Monday, May 13, 2024

2024 Outer Critics Circle Awards Announced

 

Jenn Colella, center, Carrie-Chapman-Catt and the Suffs Company. Photo: Joan Marcus


The Cast of Stereophonic. Photo: Julieta Cervantes
Outer Critics Circle Awards 2024

Winners noted in bold

 

Outstanding New Broadway Play

Jaja's African Hair Braiding

Mother Play: A Play in Five Evictions

Patriots

Stereophonic

The Shark Is Broken

 

Outstanding New Broadway Musical

Days of Wine and Roses
Suffs

The Great Gatsby

The Outsiders

Water for Elephants

 

Outstanding New Off-Broadway Musical

Buena Vista Social Club

Dead Outlaw

Illinoise

Teeth

The Connector

 

Outstanding New Off-Broadway Play

Dig
King of the Jews
King James

Primary Trust
Swing State

 

John Gassner Award (new American play preferably by a new playwright)

Job

Manahatta

Oh, Mary!

The Apiary

Wet Brain

 

Outstanding Revival of a Musical

Cabaret

Here Lies Love
I Can Get It for You Wholesale

Monty Python's Spamalot

The Who's Tommy

Outstanding Revival of a Play

An Enemy of the People

Appropriate

Doubt: A Parable

Mary Jane

Philadelphia, Here I Come!

Purlie Victorious: A Non-Confederate Romp Through the Cotton Patch

 

Outstanding Lead Performer in a Broadway Play

Jessica Lange – Mother Play
Rachel McAdams – Mary Jane

Sarah Paulson – Appropriate

Jeremy Strong – An Enemy of the People

Michael Stuhlbarg – Patriots

 

Outstanding Featured Performer in a Broadway Play

Billy Eugene Jones – Purlie Victorious

Celia Keenan-Bolger – Mother Play
Alex Moffat – The Cottage
Jim Parsons – Mother Play
Sarah Pidgeon - Stereophonic
Kara Young – Purlie Victorious

 

Outstanding Lead Performer in a Broadway Musical

Ali Louis Bourzgui – The Who's Tommy

Brian d'Arcy James – Days of Wine and Roses

Casey Likes – Back to the Future

Kelli O'Hara – Days of Wine and Roses

Maryann Plunkett – The Notebook

 

Outstanding Featured Performer in a Broadway Musical

Roger Bart – Back to the Future

Justin Guarini – Once Upon a One More Time

Leslie Rodriguez Kritzer – Spamalot

Kecia Lewis – Hell's Kitchen

Bebe Neuwirth – Cabaret

 

Outstanding Lead Performer in an Off-Broadway Musical

Jeb Brown – Dead Outlaw

Andrew Durand – Dead Outlaw

Alyse Alan Louis - Teeth

Ben Levi Ross – The Connector

Ricky Ubeda - Illinoise

 

Outstanding Featured Performer in an Off-Broadway Musical (tie)

Ben Cook – Illinoise

Hannah Cruz – The Connector

Julia Knitel – Dead Outlaw

Judy Kuhn – I Can Get It For You Wholesale

Jessica Molaskey – The Connector

Thom Sesma – Dead Outlaw

 

Outstanding Lead Performer in an Off-Broadway Play (tie)

Cole Escola – Oh, Mary!

Mary Beth Fisher – Swing State

William Jackson Harper – Primary Trust

Marie Mullen – The Saviour

Paul Sparks – Waiting for Godot

 

Outstanding Featured Performer in an Off-Broadway Play

Gus Birney – Our Class

April Matthis – Primary Trust

Conrad Ricamora – Oh, Mary!

Jay O. Sanders – Primary Trust

Bubba Weiler – Swing State

 

Outstanding Solo Performance

Eddie Izzard – Hamlet

Patrick Page – All the Devils are Here

Mona Pirnot – I Love You So Much I Could Die

Robert Montano – Small

John Rubenstein – Eisenhower: This Piece of Ground

 

Outstanding Book of a Musical

Justin Peck and Jackie Sibblies Drury - Illinoise

Anna K. Jacobs and Michael R. Jackson – Teeth

Itamar Moses – Dead Outlaw

Jonathan Marc Sherman – The Connector
Shaina Taub - Suffs

 

Outstanding Score

Jason Robert Brown – The Connector

Will Butler – Stereophonic

Adam Guettel – Days of Wine and Roses

David Yazbek and Erik Della Penna – Dead Outlaw

Shaina Taub - Suffs


Outstanding Orchestrations

Timo Andres - Illinoise

Adam Guettel and Jamie Lawrence – Days of Wine and Roses

Marco Paguia – Buena Vista Social Club

Michael Starobin – Suffs

Erik Della Penna, Dean Sharenow, and David Yazbek – Dead Outlaw

 

Outstanding Direction of a Musical

David Cromer – Dead Outlaw

Michael Greif – Days of Wine and Roses

Daisy Prince – The Connector

Leigh Silverman - Suffs

Jessica Stone – Water for Elephants

Outstanding Direction of a Play

Knud Adams – Primary Trust

Daniel Aukin – Stereophonic

Robert Falls – Swing State

Kenny Leon – Purlie Victorious

Lila Neugebauer – Appropriate

 

Outstanding Choreography

Jesse Robb and Shana Carroll – Water for Elephants

Rick Kuperman and Jeff Kuperman – The Outsiders

Lorin Latarro – The Who's Tommy

Patricia Delgado and Justin Peck – Buena Vista Social Club

Justin Peck — Illinoise

 

Outstanding Scenic Design (tie)

David Korins – Here Lies Love

David Zinn – Stereophonic

Dots – Appropriate

Paul Tate dePoo III – The Cottage

Paul Tate dePoo III – The Great Gatsby

 

Outstanding Costume Design

Dede Ayite – Jaja's African Hair Braiding

Enver Chakartash – Stereophonic

Enver Chakartash – Teeth

Linda Cho – The Great Gatsby

Sydney Maresca – The Cottage


Outstanding Lighting Design

Bradley King – Water for Elephants

Brian MacDevitt – The Outsiders

Justin Townsend – Here Lies Love

Tim Lutkin and Hugh Vanstone – Back to the Future

Amanda Zieve – The Who's Tommy

 

Outstanding Sound Design
Tom Gibbons – Grey House

Gareth Owen – Back to the Future

Gareth Owen – The Who's Tommy
Ryan Rumery – Stereophonic

M.L. Dogg and Cody Spencer – Here Lies Love

 

Outstanding Video/Projections

David Bengali – Water for Elephants

Paul Tate dePoo III — The Great Gatsby

Peter Nigrini – The Who's Tommy

Finn Ross – Back to the Future

Ash J. Woodward - Patriots

Tuesday, April 23, 2024

Outer Critics Circle Awards Nominations Announced








Off-Broadway’s Dead Outlaw leads the musical pack with nine nominations. Stereophonic is the most nominated Broadway show, with seven.
 
Nominees for the 2024 John Gassner Award for New American Play are
Job by Max Wolf Friedlich
Manahatta by Mary Kathryn Nagle
Oh, Mary! by Cole Escola
The Apiary by Kate Douglas
(NEW YORK, NY – Tuesday, April 23, 2024) The Outer Critics Circle (OCC), the official organization of writers on New York theatre for out-of-town newspapers and national publications, today announced the nominees for the 2024 Outer Critics Circle Awards, honoring the 2023-2024 Broadway and Off-Broadway season. The announcement was made by the stars of the hit revival of Merrily We Roll Along, Daniel Radcliffe, Jonathan Groff, and Lindsay Mendez, and livestreamed by BroadwayWorld.com from the Museum of Broadway.
 
Leading the pack with the most honors of the season is the Off-Broadway musical Dead Outlaw, with nine nominations, followed by The Connector with seven nominations.  Stereophonic leads in the play categories with seven nominations, followed by Primary Trust, with five nominations.
 
Nominees for the annual John Gassner Award — for a new American play, preferably by a new playwright — are Job by Max Wolf FriedlichManahatta by Mary Kathryn NagleOh, Mary! by Cole EscolaThe Apiary by Kate Douglas, and Wet Brain by John J. Caswell Jr.
 
Winners of the 2024 Annual Outer Critics Circle Awards will be announced via press release on Monday, May 13, followed by an awards ceremony held on Thursday, May 23, 2024.
 
Founded during the 1949-50 Broadway season by respected theater journalist John
Gassner, The Outer Critics Circle is an esteemed association with members affiliated with more than ninety newspapers, magazines, broadcast stations, and online news organizations, in America and abroad. Led by its current President David Gordon, the OCC Board of Directors also includes Vice President Richard Ridge, Recording Secretary Joseph Cervelli, Corresponding Secretary Patrick Hoffman, Treasurer David RobertsCynthia Allen, Harry Haun, Dan Rubins, Janice Simpson and Doug StrasslerSimon Saltzman is President Emeritus & Board Member (Non-nominating) and Stanley L. Cohen serves as Financial Consultant & Board Member (Non-nominating). Lauren Yarger serves as the Outer Critics Circle Awards ceremony executive producer.
 
2024 OUTER CRITICS CIRCLE AWARD NOMINATIONS
 
Outstanding New Broadway Play
Jaja's African Hair Braiding by Jocelyn Bioh
Mother Play: A Play in Five Evictions by Paula Vogel
Patriots by Peter Morgan
Stereophonic by David Adjmi
The Shark Is Broken by Joseph Nixon and Ian Shaw
 
Outstanding New Broadway Musical
Days of Wine and Roses
Suffs

The Great Gatsby
The Outsiders
Water for Elephants
 
Outstanding New Off-Broadway Musical
Buena Vista Social Club
Dead Outlaw
Illinoise
Teeth
The Connector
 
Outstanding New Off-Broadway Play
Dig by Theresa Rebeck
King of the Jews by Leslie Epstein
King James by Rajiv Joseph
Primary Trust by Eboni Booth
Swing State by Rebecca Gilman
 
John Gassner Award (new American play preferably by a new playwright)
Job by Max Wolf Friedlich
Manahatta by Mary Kathryn Nagle
Oh, Mary! by Cole Escola
The Apiary by Kate Douglas
Wet Brain by John J. Caswell Jr.
 
Outstanding Revival of a Musical
Cabaret
Here Lies Love
I Can Get It for You Wholesale

Monty Python's Spamalot
The Who's Tommy
 
Outstanding Revival of a Play
An Enemy of the People
Appropriate
Doubt: A Parable
Mary Jane
Philadelphia, Here I Come!
Purlie Victorious: A Non-Confederate Romp Through the Cotton Patch
 
Outstanding Lead Performer in a Broadway Play
Jessica Lange – Mother Play
Rachel McAdams – Mary Jane
Sarah Paulson – Appropriate
Jeremy Strong – An Enemy of the People
Michael Stuhlbarg – Patriots
 
Outstanding Featured Performer in a Broadway Play
Billy Eugene Jones – Purlie Victorious
Celia Keenan-Bolger – Mother Play
Alex Moffat – The Cottage
Jim Parsons – Mother Play
Sarah Pidgeon - Stereophonic
Kara Young – Purlie Victorious
 
Outstanding Lead Performer in a Broadway Musical
Ali Louis Bourzgui – The Who's Tommy
Brian d'Arcy James – Days of Wine and Roses
Casey Likes – Back to the Future
Kelli O'Hara – Days of Wine and Roses
Maryann Plunkett – The Notebook
 
Outstanding Featured Performer in a Broadway Musical
Roger Bart – Back to the Future
Justin Guarini – Once Upon a One More Time
Leslie Rodriguez Kritzer – Spamalot
Kecia Lewis – Hell's Kitchen
Bebe Neuwirth – Cabaret
 
Outstanding Lead Performer in an Off-Broadway Musical
Jeb Brown – Dead Outlaw
Andrew Durand – Dead Outlaw
Alyse Alan Louis - Teeth
Ben Levi Ross – The Connector
Ricky Ubeda - Illinoise
 
Outstanding Featured Performer in an Off-Broadway Musical
Ben Cook – Illinoise
Hannah Cruz – The Connector
Julia Knitel – Dead Outlaw
Judy Kuhn – I Can Get It For You Wholesale
Jessica Molaskey – The Connector
Thom Sesma – Dead Outlaw
 
Outstanding Lead Performer in an Off-Broadway Play
Cole Escola – Oh, Mary!
Mary Beth Fisher – Swing State
William Jackson Harper – Primary Trust
Marie Mullen – The Saviour
Paul Sparks – Waiting for Godot
 
Outstanding Featured Performer in an Off-Broadway Play
Gus Birney – Our Class
April Matthis – Primary Trust
Conrad Ricamora – Oh, Mary!
Jay O. Sanders – Primary Trust
Bubba Weiler – Swing State
 
Outstanding Solo Performance
Eddie Izzard – Hamlet
Patrick Page – All the Devils are Here
Mona Pirnot – I Love You So Much I Could Die
Robert Montano – Small
John Rubenstein – Eisenhower: This Piece of Ground
 
Outstanding Book of a Musical (Broadway or Off-Broadway)
Justin Peck and Jackie Sibblies Drury - Illinoise
Anna K. Jacobs and Michael R. Jackson – Teeth
Itamar Moses – Dead Outlaw
Jonathan Marc Sherman – The Connector
Shaina Taub - Suffs
 
Outstanding Score (Broadway or Off-Broadway)
Jason Robert Brown – The Connector
Will Butler – Stereophonic
Adam Guettel – Days of Wine and Roses
David Yazbek and Erik Della Penna – Dead Outlaw
Shaina Taub - Suffs
 
Outstanding Orchestrations (Broadway or Off-Broadway)
Timo Andres - Illinoise
Adam Guettel and Jamie Lawrence – Days of Wine and Roses
Marco Paguia – Buena Vista Social Club
Michael Starobin – Suffs
Erik Della Penna, Dean Sharenow, and David Yazbek – Dead Outlaw
 
Outstanding Direction of a Musical (Broadway or Off-Broadway)
David Cromer – Dead Outlaw
Michael Greif – Days of Wine and Roses
Daisy Prince – The Connector
Leigh Silverman - Suffs
Jessica Stone – Water for Elephants

Outstanding Direction of a Play (Broadway or Off-Broadway)
Knud Adams – Primary Trust
Daniel Aukin – Stereophonic
Robert Falls – Swing State
Kenny Leon – Purlie Victorious
Lila Neugebauer – Appropriate
 
Outstanding Choreography (Broadway or Off-Broadway)
Jesse Robb and Shana Carroll – Water for Elephants
Rick Kuperman and Jeff Kuperman – The Outsiders
Lorin Latarro – The Who's Tommy
Patricia Delgado and Justin Peck – Buena Vista Social Club
Justin Peck — Illinoise
 
Outstanding Scenic Design (Broadway or Off-Broadway)
Paul Tate dePoo III – The Cottage
Paul Tate dePoo III – The Great Gatsby
Dots – Appropriate
David Korins – Here Lies Love
David Zinn – Stereophonic
 
Outstanding Costume Design (Broadway or Off-Broadway)
Dede Ayite – Jaja's African Hair Braiding
Enver Chakartash – Stereophonic
Enver Chakartash – Teeth
Linda Cho – The Great Gatsby
Sydney Maresca – The Cottage
 
Outstanding Lighting Design (Broadway or Off-Broadway)
Bradley King – Water for Elephants
Brian MacDevitt – The Outsiders
Justin Townsend – Here Lies Love
Tim Lutkin and Hugh Vanstone – Back to the Future
Amanda Zieve – The Who's Tommy
 
Outstanding Sound Design (Broadway or Off-Broadway)
Tom Gibbons – Grey House
Gareth Owen – Back to the Future
Gareth Owen – The Who's Tommy
Ryan Rumery – Stereophonic
M.L. Dogg and Cody Spencer – Here Lies Love
 
Outstanding Video/Projections (Broadway or Off-Broadway)
David Bengali – Water for Elephants
Paul Tate dePoo III — The Great Gatsby
Peter Nigrini – The Who's Tommy
Finn Ross – Back to the Future
Ash J. Woodward - Patriots


Wednesday, March 20, 2024

Off-Broadway Review: Tuesdays with Morrie with Len Cariou

 

Chris Domig and Len Cariou. Photo: Jeremy Varner

Tuesdays with Morrie
By Jeffrey Hatcher and Mitch Albom, based on the book by Mitch Albom
Directed by Erwin Maas
Presented by Sea Dog Theater
St. George’s Episcopal Church, 209 East 16 St. NYC
Through April 20

By Lauren Yarger
Len Cariou gives a truly moving performance in a story of friendship and forgiveness in an Off-Broadway adaptation of Mitch Albom's bestselling book Tuesdays with Morrie.

Cariou is Morrie Schwartz, a sociology professor at Brandeis University who strikes up a friendship with his student,  Mitch Albom, (Cris Domig). The two meet at office hours, mostly on Tuesdays and soon find they are chatting about much more than the various classes Mitch takes during his college years. They talk about life and whether Mitch will follow his dream of being a jazz pianist. It is a friendship that has the student calling Morrie "Coach" and promising to stay in touch with his mentor after graduation.

But he doesn't. Time speeds ahead with Mitch becoming a sports writer accumulating all that someone earning big bucks at the top of his profession can enjoy. He seems to be cruising with the addition of a wife who is a professional singer, but his life comes to a screeching halt when he hears that Morrie is dying of ALS, the debilitating disease that claimed Lou Gehrig's life.

Mitch begins flying from Detroit to Boston every Tuesday to visit with Morrie, who encourages Mitch to ask any questions he would like. The first visit is awkward for Mitch . He feels guilty. Why didn't he keep up with this friend after he promised he would. Morrie's attempts to reach out had gone unanswered. But Morrie holds no grudge. He is genuinely thrilled to see his old friend and the men take up where they left off 16 years ago. What follows is a masterclass on the meaning of life. 

The more he prepares to die, Morrie, rells us, the more he knows about how to live.

Domig effectively portrays the conflicted Mitch who wonders whether he is a good person or whether he knows how to really love.

"It was taught from experience." he tells us "There was no required reading, but many topics were covered: love, work, aging, family, community, forgiveness ... and death. The class met
on Tuesdays and had only one student. I was that student." 

Cariou himself gives a masterclass in acting. Direction by Erwin Maas is minimal with Cariou hugging the grand piano dominating Guy de Lancey's set, or sitting in a wheel chair as the disease takes hold of Morrie's body. We have no doubt of the man's spirit, conveyed by Cariou through dialogue, body movement (or lack of it) and facial expressions. Morrie helps Mitch forgive himself and discover that his life has meaning. He gives him hope through his own death-- not a bad trick for the professor who used to be agnostic.

It's moving and like the book (which Albom adapted with Jeffrey Hatcher), leaves us wishing we all had a Morrie in our lives. The old church setting lends to some echoing and sound and music effects can be stark and overwhelming at times. And the seats are exceptionally uncomfortable -- bring a pillow. But the experience is worth the trip and Tuesdays with Morrie has just been extended through April 20.  seadogtheater.org

Additional credits:
Lighting, Set, and Costume Designer: Guy de Lancey; Sound Designer: Eamon Goodman; 
Recorded Vocal Performance: Sally Shaw; Original Music Composition: Chris Domig; 
Sound Mixer: Chris White

Family-Friendly Factors:
No notes


Artist Portrait Series: Len Cariou + Heather Summerhayes Cariou from Sea Dog Theater on Vimeo.

Wednesday, October 4, 2023

Theater Review: The 12 -- Goodspeed Musicals, CT

 

The cast of Goodspeed's THE 12. Photo: Diane Sobolewski

The 12

Music and Lyrics by Neil Berg
Book and Lyrics by Robert Schenkkan
Directed by John Doyle
Goodspeed Musicals 
Through Oct. 29, 2023

By Lauren Yarger

A compelling story about religion without an agenda? In the theater world, 
this is nothing short of a miracle!

But with a book and lyrics by Robert Schenkkan, told to the beat of a pop-rock score
and lyrics from Neil Berg, that is exactly what Goodspeed Musical audiences witness
in The 12, a moving story of how Jesus’s disciples walk through a journey of sorrow
and faith following his death.

This tale, emotionally staged by Director John Doyle (who doubles as scenic designer), 
focuses on the disciples as they hide out in the upper room (an abandoned industrial
space covered in graffiti) after the crucifixion of Jesus (called Teacher, rather than by name).
They arrive devastated, angry, uncertain and scared about what will happen to them if they
are identified as being affiliated with Jesus. They have conflicts with each other, as well as
a crisis of faith over the loss of their leader. For those not up to speed on who the 12 were,
they are listed in a neat cheat sheet in the show program (which offers more details than here):

  • Andrew (Wonza Johnson), a fisherman
  •  “Bart” (Robert Morrison) a.k.a. Bartholomew
  •  James (Kelvin Moon Loh), brother of John
  •  “Jimmy” (Etai Benson) the other James, often called the brother of Jesus
  •  John (Kyle Scatliffe) brother of James
  • Matt (F. Michale Haynie) the tax collector Matthew
  • Pete (Akron Lanier Watson) Simon Peter, brother of Andrew
  • Phil (Brandon J. Ellis) Philip, friend of Bartholomew
  • Simon (Gregory Treco) the zealot
  •  “Tee” (Mel Johnson Jr.) a.k.a. Thaddeus
  •  “Tom” (Wesley Taylor) doubting Thomas
For those of you who are counting, Judas doesn’t make an appearance. The action takes
place after his death too – possibly at the hands of one of the group. The 12th disciple
completing a last-supper tableau, subtly created by Doyle, is Mary Magdalene (Adrienne
Walker), called “Mags” by Jimmy, who might be more than just a friend, and the rest.
In a nice choice, Mary, the mother of Jesus (Rema Webb), also gets some stage time and
the two women have some of the most moving and melodic songs of the production.

Mags sings:

So much pain

Heart so sore

Thoughts so bleak

Please, no more.

Neared his tomb

Lightening flashed;

Heard a savage roar.

The earth rose up!

An awful sound.

Choked by dust

Fell to the ground.

I heard the stones go crashing by;

Terrified that I would die.

The shaking stopped

Then broke the dawn

Revealed his grave -

The rock was gone.


Powerful stuff in there.

The storytelling, even with some more modern elements like guitars on stage and police
sirens blaring while the disciples wear more modern looking clothing in dark hues
(Ann Hould-Ward, costumes), never loses its way because it stays anchored in the scriptures
and pure human emotion to which everyone can relate. Who hasn’t suffered a devastating
loss? Who hasn’t felt betrayed? Who hasn’t felt terrified of what lies ahead? If you ever have
experienced a real-life nightmare from which you can’t awaken, you’ll relate to the emotions
being expressed by each character. Excellent storytelling by Schenkkan (who has a Pulitzer
for The Kentucky Cycle and a Tony for All the Way.)

This also isn’t a feel-good, just-have-faith tale either. There is no attempt to convert or
condemn. Much like God himself, the creators of this work give free choice. What you
believe is up to you (and this show will unlikely offend regardless of what religion you
follow). Instead, they offer a genuine story of human emotion and the search for something
in which to believe, then cling to, even when faith has been dashed. Despite their renewed
hope, the disciples are very much aware of the price they will pay for following their beliefs.
When they leave the safety of their hideout to go out into the world to share their faith, it’s an
inspiring moment, thanks to the direction of Doyle who brings his Tony-award-winning
experience -- and apparently some long-ago hopes of becoming a priest -- to this project.

Honesty, I kept waiting for the story to veer off in the way most Christian-hostile theater
does: Jesus and Mary Magdalene were lovers and had a child; Jesus never claimed to be
the son of God or was illegitimate and it all was a ruse by Mary to avoid hide her
pre-wedding sexual activity; Jesus didn’t really rise from the dead and the disciples
carried out a hoax, etc. But it never did. And Thomas, with his many doubts and questions,
gives a voice to those watching who might be skeptical, whether or not they come from a
believing background:

·      “Where’s the proof?”

·      “Could have been a coincidence…”

·      “What if he made a mistake?"

  •  "Why did he have to die?"

The 12 is a Godspell/Jesus Christ Superstar for a new generation. It had a successful run
in Denver, where it won a Henry Award for Outstanding New Musical. You can catch it
at Goodspeed in East Haddam, CT through Oct. 29. Or, if prayers are answered, perhaps
someday on Broadway.

Additional credits: Greg Jarrett, Music Supervisor/Orchestrator; Adam Souza, Music
Director; Ben Covello, Associate Music Director; Japhy Weideman, Lighting Designer;
Jay Hilton, Sound Designer.


Friday, September 15, 2023

Off-Broadway Review: Out of the Apple Orchard

 


Out of the Apple Orchard

By Ellen W. Kaplan, based on the book by Yvonne David
Directed by Nicole Raphael
Actors Temple

By Lauren Yarger
A sweet tale of forgiveness offers a breath of fresh air for theater goers in the New York premiere of Ellen W. Kaplan's Out of the Apple Orchard which recently had an all-too-short run at the Actors Temple in New York.

Based on the first in a series of children's books written by Yvonne David, and themselves inspired by Joseph Stein's Fiddler on the Roof, Sholom Aleichem’s “Tevye the Dairyman," and Charles Dickens’ "A Christmas Carol," the stories follow the Jewish Bieman family which immigrates to the lower east side of Manhattan in 1910, then moves to the Catskills.

When Papa (Erik Endsley) is too sick to continue working on the fine suits he tailors, Mama (Lori Leifer), Bubbe (Alyssa Simon), Adam (Caleb Hafen) and Sarah (Emma Kantor) all offer to pitch in.  They offer the doctor (Gershon Tarabulus) a pair of trousers in payment, but how will they ever have money to buy ingredients for a holiday cake to bring in a sweet new year?

Adam decides that stealing apples from the orchard of Farmer Friedland (Ken Dillion) is the solution, but he soon finds that his actions have unexpected consequences. His guilt leads him to seek counsel from the family's rabbi (also played by Tarabulus), who tells him he must confess to Friedland and see what he can do to make up for his crime. But will the farmer forgive him?

Directed by Nicole Raphael of The Mesaper Theatre, the tale unfolds with music and puppetry (Victoria Chaieb, violinist, who also composes original music and arrangements; Rebecca Porticello, red bird -- puppets by Vandy Wood) set against paintings by Robert Sauber and lighting by Maarten Cornelis. Choreography is by Hafen and Kantor.

This charming tale, told in about 80 minutes without intermission, bakes a perfect pie by blending the ingredients of wholesome family values, vivid storytelling and lighthearted entertainment whose aroma will appeal to audiences of all ages. The run at the Actors Temple was just seven performances. Here's hoping it returns or has runs in other cities. And maybe the other books in the series will find their way t the stage as well. For info in the books click here.

Tuesday, May 16, 2023

2023 Outer Critics Circle Winners Announced: Some Like it Hot, Leopoldstadt Lead Honors


Joshua Satine in Leopoldstadt. Photo: Joan Marcus

The cast of Some Like it Hot. Photo: Marc J. Franklin

The Outer Critics Circle (OCC), the official organization of writers on New York theatre for out-of-town newspapers and national publications, is pleased to announce the winners of the 72nd Annual Outer Critics Circle Awards, honoring the 2022-2023 Broadway and Off-Broadway season. Some Like it Hot and Leopoldstadt take top musical and play honors.

The awards ceremony honoring the winners will take place on Thursday, May 25 at 3 pm in the Bruno Walter Auditorium at Lincoln Center’s New York Public Library for The Performing Arts. Lauren Yarger serves as the ceremony's executive producer.

2023 OUTER CRITICS CIRCLE AWARD WINNERS

The Marjorie Gunner Award for Outstanding New Broadway Musical

& Juliet

A Beautiful Noise, The Neil Diamond Musical

New York, New York

Shucked

**Some Like It Hot**

Outstanding New Broadway Play

Good Night, Oscar

**Leopoldstadt**

Life of Pi

Peter Pan Goes Wrong

Summer, 1976

Outstanding New Off-Broadway Musical

The Bedwetter

Between the Lines

**The Harder They Come**

Only Gold

Without You

Outstanding New Off-Broadway Play

Becomes a Woman

A Case for the Existence of God

Chester Bailey

**Downstate**

Letters from Max, a ritual

John Gassner Award for New American Play (Preferably by a New Playwright)

Dark Disabled Stories by Ryan J. Haddad

Epiphany by Brian Watkins

**Fat Ham by James Ijames**

Wolf Play by Hansol Jung

You Will Get Sick by Noah Diaz

Outstanding Revival of a Play (Broadway or Off-Broadway)

Death of a Salesman

Endgame

Ohio State Murders

**Topdog/Underdog**

Wedding Band

Outstanding Revival of a Musical (Broadway or Off-Broadway)

A Man of No Importance

Into the Woods

Merrily We Roll Along

**Parade**

Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street

Outstanding Lead Performer in a Broadway Musical

Micaela Diamond – Parade

**J. Harrison Ghee – Some Like It Hot**

Caroline Innerbichler – Shucked

Colton Ryan – New York, New York

Anna Uzele – New York, New York

Outstanding Featured Performer in a Broadway Musical

Kevin Del Aguila – Some Like It Hot

Julia Lester – Into the Woods

**Alex Newell – Shucked**

NaTasha Yvette Williams – Some Like It Hot

Betsy Wolfe - & Juliet

Outstanding Lead Performer in a Broadway Play

Hiran Abeysekera – Life of Pi

Jessica Chastain – A Doll's House

Corey Hawkins – Topdog/Underdog

**Sean Hayes – Good Night, Oscar**

Audra McDonald – Ohio State Murders

Outstanding Featured Performer in a Broadway Play

Danielle Brooks – The Piano Lesson

Sharon D Clarke – Death of a Salesman

Michael Potts – The Piano Lesson

**Brandon Uranowitz – Leopoldstadt**

David Zayas – Cost of Living

Outstanding Lead Performer in an Off-Broadway Play

Ephraim Birney – Chester Bailey

Brittany Bradford – Wedding Band

Marylouise Burke - Epiphany

**Bill Irwin – Endgame**

Emma Pfitzer Price – Becomes a Woman

Outstanding Featured Performer in an Off-Broadway Play

Veanne Cox – Wedding Band

Glenn Davis – Downstate

**K. Todd Freeman – Downstate**

Francis Guinan - Downstate

Susanna Guzman - Downstate

Outstanding Lead Performer in an Off-Broadway Musical

Nicholas Barasch – The Butcher Boy

Callum Francis – Kinky Boots

**Jonathan Groff – Merrily We Roll Along**

Natey Jones – The Harder They Come

Marla Mindelle – Titanique

Outstanding Featured Performer in an Off-Broadway Musical

Vicki Lewis – Between the Lines

**Lindsay Mendez – Merrily We Roll Along**

Daniel Radcliffe – Merrily We Roll Along

A.J. Shively – A Man of No Importance

Mare Winningham – A Man of No Importance

Outstanding Solo Performance

Mike Birbiglia – The Old Man & the Pool

**Jodie Comer – Prima Facie**

Jefferson Mays – A Christmas Carol

Sam Morrison – Sugar Daddy

Anthony Rapp – Without You

Outstanding New Score

Kate Anderson and Elyssa Samsel – Between the Lines

Brandy Clark and Shane McAnally – Shucked

John Kander, Fred Ebb, and Lin-Manuel Miranda – New York, New York

Adam Schlesinger and Sarah Silverman – The Bedwetter

**Marc Shaiman and Scott Wittman – Some Like It Hot**

Outstanding Book of a Musical

Tye Blue, Marla Mindelle, Constantine Rousouli - Titanique

**Robert Horn – Shucked**

Matthew López and Amber Ruffin – Some Like it Hot

Suzan-Lori Parks – The Harder They Come

David West Read - & Juliet

Outstanding Scenic Design (Play or Musical)

Jason Ardizzone-West – Wedding Band

John Lee Beatty - Epiphany

**Beowulf Boritt – New York, New York**

Mimi Lien – Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street

Simon Scullion – Peter Pan Goes Wrong

Outstanding Costume Design (Play or Musical)

Dede Ayite – Topdog/Underdog

**Gregg Barnes – Some Like it Hot**

Brigitte Reiffenstuel – Leopoldstadt

Paloma Young - & Juliet

Donna Zakowska – New York, New York

Outstanding Lighting Design (Play or Musical)

Neil Austin – Leopoldstadt

Ken Billington – New York, New York

Ben Stanton – A Christmas Carol

Natasha Katz – Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street

**Tim Lutkin – Life of Pi**

Outstanding Sound Design (Play or Musical)

John Gromada - Jasper

Kai Harada – New York, New York

Daniel Kluger – Epiphany

André Pluess – Good Night, Oscar

**Joshua D. Reid – A Christmas Carol**

Outstanding Video or Projection Design (Play or Musical)

Christopher Ash and Beowulf Boritt – New York, New York

**Andrzej Goulding – Life of Pi**

Lucy Mackinnon – A Christmas Carol

Isaac Madge - Leopoldstadt

Sven Ortel – Parade

Outstanding Orchestrations

**Bryan Carter and Charlie Rosen – Some Like It Hot**

Sam Davis and Daryl Waters – New York, New York

Jason Howland – Shucked

Dominic Fallacaro and Bill Sherman - & Juliet

Jonathan Tunick – Merrily We Roll Along

Outstanding Director of a Musical

**Michael Arden – Parade**

Maria Friedman – Merrily We Roll Along

Casey Nicholaw – Some Like It Hot

Jack O'Brien – Shucked

Susan Stroman – New York, New York

Outstanding Choreography

Andy Blankenbuehler – Only Gold

Edgar Godineaux – The Harder They Come

Casey Nicholaw – Some Like It Hot

**Susan Stroman – New York, New York**

Jennifer Weber - & Juliet

Outstanding Director of a Play

Kenny Leon – Topdog/Underdog

Pam MacKinnon – Downstate

**Patrick Marber – Leopoldstadt**

Adam Meggido – Peter Pan Goes Wrong

Max Webster – Life of Pi

Special Achievement Award

To B.H. Barry, one of the world's foremost fight directors, in recognition of a distinguished six-decade career capped off with Camelot at Lincoln Center Theater.

About the OCCs:

Founded during the 1949-50 Broadway season by respected theater journalist John Gassner, The Outer Critics Circle is an esteemed association with members affiliated with more than ninety newspapers, magazines, broadcast stations, and online news organizations, in America and abroad.

As previously announced, this is the first season with newly reconstructed acting categories, which have removed gender specifications, and been expanded to separately include off-Broadway performers. In the previous configuration, actors in Broadway and off-Broadway productions had been nominated together in the same category.

Led by its current president David Gordon, the OCC Board of Directors also includes Vice President Richard Ridge, Recording Secretary Joseph Cervelli, Corresponding Secretary Patrick Hoffman, Treasurer David Roberts, Harry Haun, Cynthia Allen, Janice Simpson and Doug Strassler. Simon Saltzman is President Emeritus & Board Member (Non-nominating) and Stanley L. Cohen serves as Financial Consultant & Board Member (Non-nominating).

Gracewell Prodiuctions

Gracewell Prodiuctions
Producing Inspiring Works in the Arts
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Our reviews are professional reviews written without a religious bias. At the end of them, you can find a listing of language, content or theological issues that Christians might want to know about when deciding which shows to see.

** Mature indicates that the show has posted an advisory because of content. Usually this means I would recommend no one under the age of 16 attend.

Theater Critic Lauren Yarger

Theater Critic Lauren Yarger

My Bio

Lauren Yarger has written, directed and produced numerous shows and special events for both secular and Christian audiences. She co-wrote a Christian musical version of “A Christmas Carol” which played to sold-out audiences of over 3,000 in Vermont and was awarded the Vermont Bessie (theater and film awards) for “People’s Choice for Theatre.” She also has written two other dinner theaters, sketches for church services and devotions for Christian artists. Her play concept, "From Reel to Real: The Jennifer O'Neill Story" was presented as part of the League of professional Theatre Women's Julia's reading Room Series in New York. Shifting from reviewing to producing, Yarger owns Gracewell Productions, which produced the Table Reading Series at the Palace Theater in Waterbury, CT. She trained for three years in the Broadway League’s Producer Development Program, completed the Commercial Theater Institute's Producing Intensive and other training and produced a one-woman musical about Mary Magdalene that toured nationally and closed with an off-Broadway run. She was a Fellow at the National Critics Institute at the O'Neill Theater Center in Waterford, CT. She wrote reviews of Broadway and Off-Broadway theater (the only ones you can find in the US with an added Christian perspective) at http://reflectionsinthelight.blogspot.com/.

She is editor of The Connecticut Arts Connection (http://ctarts.blogspot.com), an award-winning website featuring theater and arts news for the state. She was a contributing editor for BroadwayWorld.com. She previously served as theater reviewer for the Manchester Journal-Inquirer, Connecticut theater editor for CurtainUp.com and as Connecticut and New York reviewer for American Theater Web.

She is a Co-Founder of the Connecticut Chapter of the League of Professional Theatre Women. She is a former vice president and voting member of The Drama Desk.

She is a freelance writer and playwright (member Dramatists Guild of America). She is a member if the The Outer Critics Circle (producer of the annual awards ceremony) and a member of The League of Professional Theatre Women, serving as Co-Founder of the Connecticut Chapter. Yarger was a book reviewer for Publishers Weekly A former newspaper editor and graduate of the University of Missouri’s School of Journalism, Yarger also worked in arts management for the Bushnell Center for the Performing Arts, the Hartford Symphony Orchestra and served for nine years as the Executive Director of Masterwork Productions, Inc. She lives with her husband in West Granby, CT. They have two adult children.

Copyright

All material is copyright 2008- 2024 by Lauren Yarger. Reviews and articles may not be reprinted without permission. Contact reflectionsinthelight@gmail.com

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Key to Content Notes:

God's name taken in vain -- means God or Jesus is used in dialogue without speaking directly to or about them.

Language -- means some curse words are used. "Minor" usually means the words are not too strong or that it only occurs once or twice throughout the show.

Strong Language -- means some of the more heavy duty curse words are used.

Nudity -- means a man or woman's backside, a man's lower front or a woman's front are revealed.

Scantily clad -- means actors' private areas are technically covered, but I can see a lot of them.

Sexual Language -- means the dialogue contains sexually explicit language but there's no action.

Sexual Activity -- means a man and woman are performing sexual acts.

Adultery -- Means a married man or woman is involved sexually with someone besides their spouse. If this is depicted with sexual acts on stage, the list would include "sexual activity" as well.

Sex Outside of Marriage -- means a man and woman are involved sexually without being married. If this is depicted sexually on stage, the list would include "sexual activity" as well.

Homosexuality -- means this is in the show, but not physically depicted.

Homosexual activity -- means two persons of the same sex are embracing/kissing. If they do more than that, the list would include "sexual activity" as well.

Cross Dresser -- Means someone is dressing as the opposite sex. If they do more than that on stage the listing would include the corresponding "sexual activity" and/or "homosexual activity" as well.

Cross Gender -- A man is playing a female part or a woman is playing a man's part.

Suggestive Dancing -- means dancing contains sexually suggestive moves.

Derogatory (category added Fall 2012) Language or circumstances where women or people of a certain race are referred to or treated in a negative and demeaning manner.

Other content matters such as torture, suicide, or rape will be noted, with details revealed only as necessary in the review itself.

The term "throughout" added to any of the above means it happens many times throughout the show.

Reviewing Policy

I receive free seats to Broadway and Off-Broadway shows made available to all voting members of the Outer Critics Circle. Journalistically, I provide an unbiased review and am under no obligation to make positive statements. Sometimes shows do not make tickets available to reviewers. If these are shows my readers want to know about I will purchase a ticket. If a personal friend is involved in a production, I'll let you know, but it won't influence a review. If I feel there is a conflict, I won't review their portion of the production.

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